Big Ideas for Small-Space Decorating

August 1, 2016

In a small dining area you have to be smart with your space, especially when arranging furniture.

Here’s how to give a tiny nook more floor space without cutting style. Swap chairs for a seating bench. You can seat two, or even three people on it. And when it’s not in use you can tuck it completely under the table. This frees up floor space if walkways are tight. Rather than a second bench, place two dining chairs on the other side for a high style seating mix.

Don’t crowd the table with two more end chairs. Leave the table open ended. Pull in chairs from another room only when you need to seat more people. Skip the rug, it’ll just get in the way of your feet, and the seats.

Finally, sneak in a hidden home office. Place a tall dining hutch near the table to stash dishware, but use its base cabinet to hold a few files and supplies for paying bills or writing notes. With these dining room tricks, you’ll give your small space room to grow.